How to get fit and have fun

Most of us want to be fit, but some of us struggle to maintain motivation. The gym trips end up costing £250 a session as memberships lie unused, aerobics DVDs gather dust, gym clothes no longer fit and just one more digestive biscuit gets eaten with that cup of afternoon tea. Yet many of us can find the energy and will power to cycle for miles in the French countryside or where ever you choose to holiday or swim for over an hour when in the sea with friends or ski almost non-stop for eight hours at a time when in Austria.

So, what is going wrong when we try and build exercise into our everyday routines? It is quite simple, we are bored when we workout therefore we feel unmotivated to do it. Here we have compiled some top tips to help you stay fit but have fun at the same time, after all who ever stuck to doing something they had to when they didn’t like it?

Phone a friend

Excising with a friend can have huge benefits to your health. Not only will it lift your mood and keep you entertained but it will make you stick to the plan! If you have agreed to do a boot camp after work or committed to a fitness holiday, then you are less likely to let them down if they are depending on you. Also, if your friend is fitter than you are then a bit of healthy competition never hurt anyone.

Pick ‘n’ mix your classes

OK so you did yoga and you liked it, but after doing the 10 sessions you paid for week in week out you’re getting bored. And who could blame you? Don’t commit to doing the same class just commit to the number of sessions that way you can vary what you’re doing. You will also find you get better results as you aren’t just doing yoga, or Zumba or aerobics as you will be using different muscle groups each time you exercise as opposed to repeating the same movements.

Choose a playlist and stick to it

Selecting the most effective workout music is not as simple as queuing up a series of fast, high-energy songs. One should also consider the memories, emotions and associations that different songs evoke. For some people, the extent to which they identify with the singer’s emotional state and viewpoint determines how motivated they feel. And, in some cases, the rhythms of the underlying melody may not be as important as the cadence of the lyrics. So don’t just use a standard workout Spotify playlist, pick carefully and you will get more out of your workout than you could have hoped for trust us!

Smile, you’re getting fit

When you’re stuck doing the plank and it feels like your back might cave in on you and your muscles won’t hold up, or when you’re on the fourth kilometre of that five-kilometre run just remember to smile. Amazing things happen when you exercise and what is coming next is a rush of endorphins in bullet form are soon to rush through your body and make all the sweat and tears worth it!

Reward yourself

Give yourself something in return for the time spent pounding the pavements or lifting weights. Put £1 in a jar for every workout you do. Every month you could use this money to treat yourself to a meal out or save up for a new piece of clothing.